The Greencards

The Brick Album

Darling Street Records

I first heard The Greencards back in 2009 when they released their Sugar Hill Records debut Fascination. A newgrass treat, that album was the best Americana record by three people who were not American. Two years later, The Greencards’ two main members, Australian vocalist and bassist Carol Young and multi-instrumentalist Kym Warner, ditched the Euro third-wheel and their label, while adding two actual Americans, fiddler Tyler Andal and National Flatpicking Champion Carl Miner. All this makes The Brick Album a much more traditional bluegrass album, which is a good thing.

“Make It Out West” features arguably the greatest mandolin player ever, Sam Bush, while “Heart Fixer” adds more country to the album with the harmonies of Vince Gill added in. “Faded” uses a 5/4 time signature to make a truly unique song that makes you pay attention to the slightly off-kilter rhythm.

Just like almost all bluegrass albums, there has to be an instrumental, and for this album, “Adelaide” conjures an Old West feel, something that is steeped in tradition and is blissfully familiar.

While Fascination was a more unique album, The Brick Album is more complete and cohesive. Releasing this on their own label (Darling Street Records) opened up the songwriting and musicianship and it shows. This is The Greencards’ best album to date.

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